Come Home
by Austyn
Summary: Haley left after a fight with Nathan. Ch6 4.23
1. You Are My Sunshine

It's Austyn, with another Naley story. Kind Of. Sort Of. Maybe. The italics, well, when you read, you'll understand. R&R... lol... i dont need to ask cause yall always do.

A u s t y n

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Come Home

Chapter One: You Are My Sunshine

_"Well, what great weather to play this next song in, and it just so happens it's a shout out from Nathan to Haley, he says he's sorry and he wants you to come home and-" Haley hit the button to turn off the radio, but then felt the urge to turn it on again to get a rendition of "You are my sunshine." _

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray.

You'll never know, Dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night Dear

As I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

When I awoke, Dear

I was mistaken

And I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy, when skies are gray.

You'll never know, Dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

I'll always love you

And you make me happy

If you will only say the same

But if you leave me

To love another

You'll regret it all some day;

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make my happy, when skies are gray.

You'll never know, Dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away

You told me once, Dear

You really loved me

And no one else could come between

But now you've left me

And love another

You have shattered all my dreams;

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy, when skies are gray.

You'll never know, Dear, how much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Haley hit the radio to turn it off, by now tears were streaming down her face. The fight she and Nathan had had seemed pointless, and after the rendition of you are my sunshine, people across the area were probably hoping for her to just turn the car around to go home.

Haley awoke with a jerk to a crack of lightning in the sky. It was only a dream…


	2. Hush Little Baby

Come Home

Chapter Two- Hush Little Baby.

"Mommy, I can't sleep, the storm is keeping me up," the little girl said, padding into the kitchen.

"It woke me up too, how about we go to mommy's big bed and I'll sing you a song."

"Okay," the little girl agreed and led the way, with Haley following, turning off the kitchen light.

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"Hush little baby, don't say a word

Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird.

"If that mocking bird don't sing

Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

"If that diamond ring turns to brass,

Momma's gonna buy you a looking glass."

Haley sang, holding her baby in her arms, remembering back a couple of years.

"If that looking glass gets broke,

Momma's gonna buy you a Billy goat.

"If that Billy goat won't pull,

Momma's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

"If that cart and bull turn over,

Momma's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

"If that doggy named Rover won't bark,

Momma's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

"If that horse and cart fall down,

You'll still be the prettiest baby in town."

Haley sang the song to her young children as they drifted off to sleep. Nathan stood in the doorway, he loved listening to her sing. She was like an angel, and he loved to catch every word of it. He loved how good she was with the kids, always getting them to go to sleep so quickly.

Haley looked down at the little girl in her arms, who, like the rest, fell asleep with the song. Or maybe it was the melodic tone of her voice.


	3. Lightening the Whole

I'm hoping that this story will become a bit more popular... I know it's slow going and a bit confusing right now, so you can review and ask me to clarify something, or something, butI see it unfolding just the way I planned it so I hope yall like and review!

A u s t y n

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Chapter 3- Lightening the Whole

"Mommy, you're going to be there right?" the little girl asked, bouncing into the kitchen, far from the sleepiness of the night before.

"I'll try baby girl, but I might not be able to get away from work," that wasn't a total lie. There was some truth, she might not be able to get away from work, but anther thing was, she sure didn't want to show her face in Tree Hill. She sent her daughter to Tree Hill Elementary, a rather nice bus ride from where they lived, because she knew it would be best for her. Today was her performance for parent's day in front of her class, "Well, why don't you show me now, just in case, I really want to see it."

"I can't, you have to wait until you come to school, please mommy, please come," the little girl begged, her blue eyes wide. She looked just like her father sometimes, and it hurt Haley to see it, "What about daddy? Ashley's mommy and daddy are coming," she said, referring to one of her friends.

"Honey, remember, we talked about this. It's just me and you, but I'll try. Okay, I can't promise anything, but I'll try."

"I remember, he didn't want me," her smiled faded.

"But I wanted you, that's all that matters," Haley said, "Come on, you're going to be late for school," she said ushering the little girl out the door.

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"I want to see better lay-ups, we practiced this, last night, remember?" Nathan asked, yelling at his kids. The two boys were the oldest, at 15 and 16, the youngest, his daughter, 13. She was a freshman at THHS, and was becoming a part of the sports world. She was good, she just liked other thing s better. The boys, a sophomore, and a junior, we legends at THHS. Nathan Scott, the basketball coach, drilled them morning and night. They would come in at 6 to have practice before school, and sometimes stay as late as nine for practice afterwards. Life was sort of like that for them the past five years, since Nathan's wife, and the children's mom, disappeared. No one telling them not to practice so much, no one telling them when to eat, or what to eat, except Nathan, who told them to eat high energy, low fat foods, to fuel the body for the game. And certainly, there was no one to tell them to do their homework, or to study, or even attempt an A, a D was okay, anything above, and you were a genius in their house, they only needed enough to maintain a 2.0 to play the game, and that's all they did.

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She saw him, standing there, drilling those kids so hard to play ball. She felt guilty. When she left she should have taken them with her. Now, they were probably scarred for life, and hated her guts. Nathan only noticed her standing in the doorway when they stopped playing, and froze. She didn't think they would recognize her, but maybe it was because of the time, they were shocked to see someone else in the gym that early, almost seven.

He blew his whistle, "Did I tell you to stop playing?" The three shook their heads in unison, "Then why did you. And your answer better not be that someone walked into the gym, cause people walk into the gym all the time during games, and we don't freeze then. 20 laps, each go!" he blew his whistle and they started running, like little soldiers.

He walked over to her, "Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you here? Why did you leave? Why didn't you come back? Any of those would be a good start."

"Abby."

"Abby?"

Haley fumbled in her purse, and pulled out a school picture of their little girl and handed it to him.

"What is this?" he asked.

"A picture of your daughter."

"This isn't Ally."

"It's Abby."

"Haley, I know you've been gone for five years, but our daughter's name is Ally, and our sons are Andy and Alex."

"Look at the date, this year, Ally didn't turn five this year, did she, she turning 14."

"Then who is Abby?"

"The daughter you didn't want."

"What!"

"Five years ago, you practically begged not to have anymore kids. Remember, I told you to go first with what you had to say, and I walked out before I told you what I had to say. I was pregnant, Nathan, and how the hell was I supposed to say something after all that?"

"How the hell could you leave for five years, and leave me with kids who kept asking when Mommy's coming home?"

"How do you deal with a little girl who asks why she never met her daddy, or why doesn't her daddy love her, or why doesn't her daddy want her?"

"Why the hell would you do that-" he was interrupted.

"Daddy," Ally said, pretty tired, "We finished."

"And this is a good reason to interrupt an adult conversation?"

"Nathan!" Haley was shocked.

"What, they're my kids."

"Bull shit, Nathan, bull shit." Andy, Alex and Ally stood there with wide eyes at what was going on.

"Then who's kids are they? Sure as hell not yours, you haven't even seen them in five years."

"That's a lie Nathan, I work in Tree Hill, Abby goes to Tree Hill Elementary, I live just outside of Tree Hill, I've seen them almost everyday."

"Then why did you just find it a good time now to come ant talk to me, tell me about Abby?"

"She wants you there."

"Who wants me where?"

"Mandy wants you at parent's day, today, it starts at 9:30. She goes on around ten. Prove me to be a liar. Obviously, if you come, I've lied to her, her whole life, but if you don't, then I told her the truth, and no problem, and I assume you'll be here after school, maybe Andy, Alex and Ally would like to meet Mandy. You can't stop them from meeting their little sister."

"Mommy?" Ally asked, after listening to the whole thing. Andy and Alex were still shocked, and didn't know where their sister was getting this from.

"Ally, what did I tell you?"

"Nathan, she wasn't talking to you, she was talking to me, and as far as I was concerned our conversation was done, so your stupid little rule really doesn't apply here, so go back and mind your own business."

Nathan looked really pissed, but walked away.

"Mommy?" Ally repeated.

"Yes baby, it's mommy."

"Why did you leave?"

Haley showed her the picture. "That's your little sister, Abby, daddy didn't want her, and if I stayed, daddy might have hurt her, and then you wouldn't get to be a big sister. I'm sorry I left. Your little sister needed help, and I helped her. I'm sorry for leaving," Haley said, reaching out to her daughter.

Ally walked over to her and gave her a big hug, "Mommy, I hate basketball, I'm no good. Daddy says I'm a Scott, I have to be good," she said, with tears in her eyes.

"You get that from me, I couldn't make a basket if my life depended on it."

Ally let out a small smile, "I'm still mad, but I understand."

"You should come, all three of you."

Andy and Alex looked at her, then Andy, the oldest, spoke up, "Do you know how bad dad's been these past five years? No, you don't, and for you to come back here and act like this, like everything's okay, you just can't."

"I agree, you haven't been there, anywhere. If you were scared of him, don't you think we would be even more so. But, I am a forgiving person, you did teach me that, and I would like to meet my little sister, what was her name?"

"Abby, Abigail. She reminds me of a little bird. She doesn't exactly know about you all though, I did try telling her, a couple times, but I think she's too young to understand. Andy? You in?"

"Why not, let's jet."


	4. I'm A Little Teapot

Okay... lack of update... sorry... I spent a week in Ocean City fer a cheerleading competition. We got honerable mention. Woo-Hoo Spartans! Blue, Gold, and White! Okay... I hope you enjoy... I think it mite have came off as a bit strong... but I'll try to tone the rest down a lil bit. Remember, I love reviews, so review ure butts off... lol

A u s t y n

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Chapter 4- I'm A Little Teapot

They had seats in the front row, mostly because Abby's teacher was actually shocked to see someone from Abby's family there. Haley didn't usually come in.

"Next we have Abigail James, Abby, take it away," her teacher said, as Abby walked onto center "stage". The classroom was set up for it. She had a big smile plastered on her face, seeing Haley there. Haley winked at her, and Abby started.

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout,"

"Here is my handle," she put one hand on her hip, "and here is my spout," she held the other one out.

"When I get all steamed up hear me shout,"

"Tip me over and pour me out," she leaned over like she was pouring herself out.

"I am a clever teapot, yes it's true."

"Here's an example of what _I_ can do."

"I can change my handle to my spout," she said and switched what her arms were doing, the one on her hip became the spout and she placed her other hand on her hip.

"Just tip me over and pour me out," and she leaned again to pour herself out.

They stood and clapped. It wasn't that she was exceptionally good, she did good, but they were just proud of her and supported her, and it made Abby feel good. She walked over and joined them, and sat on Haley's lap. Haley looked in the back when she heard the door open and close and thought she saw Nathan, and sat Abby on the chair and walked out, promising to be right back.

"Nathan, wait," Haley said, when she saw him turning the corner. If he had been playing basketball non-stop for the past five years, there would be no way she could catch him. She heard his footsteps stop, and she caught up.

"What Haley?"

"You came."

"I know."

"Why?"

"I wanted to see her, I guess, I don't know."

"Nathan, you can see her. There really is nothing wrong in that, she is your daughter, too."

"Well, after the way I was being a jerk, I wouldn't think you'd want me to."

Haley smiled, "It has nothing to do with me, it has to do with Abby."

"Why Abigail?"

"You heard her sing, she sings like a little bird, and the name reminds me of a little bird."

"Abigail James?"

"I was still mad at you, names can always be changed, you know."

"I guess," he sighed.

She hesitated, but took a step closer to him, "I'm sorry. I really am, and I know this isn't what you want to hear, or it won't make things better, but I just want you to know it's true, and I love you. And I-I should get back, Abby might get worried, or think I left," Haley quickly pushed out the last sentence, and turned around.

"Hales, I understand, I do, but it still hurts the same. And, well, if it's okay, I'd like to get to know her, I mean, she is my daughter."

Haley smiled, "Of course you can, but I really should get back, unless you want to join me."

"I would love to, but," he looked at his watch, "my next class is in fifteen minutes, maybe I can catch you both after school, and tell And, Alex, and Al that I want their butts back in school by lunchtime, that's about an hour. Alex has a test in Bio last period, and he's just barely passing that class, strait after lunch And has a quiz in math, which he is flunking, but Al, I'm not to much worried about, she gets good grades, my- I mean our little genius, but I still want her back in school."

"Okay, I'll tell them, and I'll bring Abby over after school. Tell her you think she did a good job. She'll be happy to know her daddy cares."


	5. Accidents Happen

Chapter 5- Accidents Happen

Haley stood in the doorway of the gym, watching the interaction between Abby and Nathan. She had a whistle on a string around her neck. Abby was a bit shy, especially around all the high schoolers, and Haley was worried how she was taking it. Haley watched, and Abby seemed fine, even blew the whistle a couple of times when Nathan told her to. Haley also worried about the fact that she was so small, that the tall basketball players wouldn't see her down there and run her over. Abby seemed to stay close to Nathan, who was tall, so she hoped that she wouldn't get hurt. Abby noticed Haley standing there, and ran over to her, across the basketball court, which is when Haley's fears came to a reality, as the possession of the ball switched and they ran back up the court, where Abby was knocked down. Everyone stopped at her shrieks. Nathan blew his whistle, and lashed out at the team and assigned them 500 laps around the track, outside, in the cold, in their practice uniforms.

Haley had already rushed over to her baby's side and was examining her. She was crying, and from what Haley could see, wasn't bleeding, but she wasn't sure. Nathan walked over, Andy and Alex hovering behind. Nathan turned around and looked at them, "I assigned 500 laps. Outside. Let's get moving, I didn't say everyone but you, move."

"I, um, we wanted to know if Abby was okay," Andy said, in a small voice.

"Yea, we're really sorry, and I bet the whole team is, too," Alex added.

"We didn't mean for this, we didn't see her," Andy finished.

"It doesn't matter what you meant for. What you meant for, didn't happen. I suggest you start on your laps, you might be here late, and the darker it gets, the sure as hell colder it's gonna get, and I don't know about you, but I don't like running in the cold, takes a lot out of you."

They silently walked outside, into the cold, knowing they probably would catch pneumonia doing it, but they did feel bad.

Nathan walked up to Haley, "I'm sorry, that's all I can really say, I should have watched her better, not let her get away, directed her around the game. I don't know, it's been a while since I've been around little, and I mean, little kids, and Alex, Andy, and Ally, all grew up with the game, and knew better not to run directly across the court, into a practice, or a game, and I guess, I, uh, assumed that Abby knew too. I didn't know that she didn't know not to do that, that she didn't grow up around the game."

"Nathan, don't, I don't want to listen to it right now, please, just let me help my child, help soothe her pain, and I can't really tell if something is wrong or not, and I'm going to take her to the doctor to make sure she is okay."

"Isn't that a little sheltered. Ally fell out of a tree a couple years back, it was about a five foot fall, I didn't see fit to take her to the doctor, she was fine in a couple days, nothing serious, Andy, fell down a flight of stairs, a little bruised, he didn't go to the doctor. Alex slammed his hand in the door, black and blue, and a bit swollen, told him to toughen up and be a man, he didn't go to the doctor."

"Abby is five. She got trampled by a team of basketball players. If I feel that my daughter needs to see a doctor, she will. I do not need your input because obviously you cannot tell when a situation is serious or not. They could have had broken bones, or internal bleeding, and you would have never known."

"But, Hales, the thing is, they didn't. Kids are going to fall down, and get hurt, but if you take them to the doctor every time, for some quack to tell you that they should be fine in a couple days, then they'll be sheltered and weak."

"Nathan, please, just let me take her to the doctor, I have that maternal instinct that something is wrong. I can't put my finger on it, but it's there," Haley said, got up, picking Abby up and walked out. They had been doing so good at getting along for this to go and happen.

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Haley took out her cell phone in Karen's café, after coming back from the doctor and called Nathan.

"Hello," he said into his phone.

"I was right," she said.

"What, about what?"

"About Abby. She broke her arm, and has a bright pink cast to show for it."

"Wow, Hales, I am so sorry, and I can guarantee to you that every single last one on my team is just as sorry, and I can get it in writing, and cards for her, if you like. I can't guarantee everyone will spell all the words right, or have any words at all, but it's a start."

"I think Abby would like cards."

"Then that will be tomorrow's practice, they just finished their laps not to long ago. I think they feel her pain, and if not, they could do it for a week, or two weeks."

"I don't think that is necessary."

"You sure, most of the team already hates me anyways, what's a couple thousand laps around the track in the middle of the night in temperatures just above freezing in warm-up clothes."

"Insane, that's what it is, and if you keep it up, all of your players will be benched with pneumonia or the flu come game day."

"Okay, okay."

"Um, Nathan, do you think that I could spend the night with you and Ally, Alex and Andy, it's late and I really don't feel like driving home."

"Sure, but the place is a mess, and I'm not going to try to clean it before you get here because it is impossible."

"That's okay. As soon as Abby and I finish eating we'll be right over," she said and closed her phone and set it on the counter next to her plate, smiling a little at Abby trying to eat with a cast on her arm.


	6. It's Never To Late

Chapter 6- It's Never To Late

It was around 11 when Haley got up because she couldn't sleep. The thought of the messy house kept her awake. Everyone else had crashed, after much fighting, in their own beds, but the filthy house still kept her awake. She slid out of bed and put on her robe and walked to the kitchen.

On her way out, she picked up a laundry basket sitting on the floor and began putting all the random scattered clothes littering the floor into it. By the time she reached the laundry room, the basket was over flowing, and she had stopped picking up clothes. It was astounding how much stuff was on the floor, and that there actually was a floor under all of that stuff. Haley started a load of laundry and went to the kitchen to tackle the dishes, which were overflowing in the sink.

About halfway through the dishes, the washing machine beeped, signaling it was done and she went to put them in the dryer and start another load. She figured the house hadn't been cleaned since she left. Nathan really wasn't one to clean, often, unless he was forced to. She felt kind of bad that it was their fault for living in such a mess.

It was around two when the dishes were done, almost all of the laundry, and lunches were made for tomorrow, and she started on the vacuuming and dusting. Nathan sure was going to wake up to a surprise, Haley just wasn't sure that he would like it, even though the house looked dramatically better.

By four in the morning she was making pancakes for breakfast, and had finished with the house, except for the bedrooms, not wanting to wake them up. Abby loved chocolate chip pancakes, which is what Haley was making, along with sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, and if you wanted cereal and bagels. Coffee was on because she had a feeling it was going to be a long day. By the time breakfast was ready, Ally, Alex and Andy had all followed their noses to the kitchen, where Abby was, waiting impatiently for breakfast.

"What's all this?" Alex asked, sitting on the stool, and Haley put a plates around.

"Breakfast," Haley answered simply, flipping a pancake.

"Breakfast is Gatorade, not pancakes," Andy said, smelling the kitchen, "But we could try this."

Haley put down glasses of milk and orange juice, "I'm glad, cause it's good."

"Where'd you get the dishes from?" Ally asked, looking at them, they weren't paper plates.

"I washed them," Haley said, serving the four, "Where's your dad?"

"In bed?" Alex asked.

Haley sighed, grabbing the plate she made for him, and his coffee and orange juice and put it on a tray, "I'll be back, please make sure Abby doesn't fall off that stool," she said and walked down the hall to Nathan's room.

"Doesn't it smell good?" she asked, putting the tray down in front of Nathan.

He sat up, "Yes it does, what is it?"

"Breakfast, pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, coffee, orange juice, toast, a cream cheese bagel, and a bowl of cheerios, with milk, you've got syrup on your pancakes too, and that would be a fork, and a knife, and a spoon, and a napkin."

"Why is it here?"

"I brought it to you," Haley answered, like it was obvious.

"Where did it come from?"

"The kitchen, now get up, you will be late for your early morning practice, and you need to separate the clothes, I did a couple loads of laundry, and vacuumed a bit, and made lunches for everyone."

"We have all of this stuff in the kitchen?"

"Well, I might have went to the store too…"

"Haley, you don't need to do this, all you wanted was a place to crash for the night."

"But seeing it so messy, I couldn't sleep, and Abby loves chocolate chip pancakes, and with a hunk of cast on her arm, I thought chocolate pancakes were just what she needed, and it would be rude to make just for me and Abby, and pancakes in not a hearty breakfast, so I had to get more than pancakes, and for everyone, or it would be rude, so, eat, get dressed, make your bed, and go to work."

"I'm sorry I was such a jerk years ago."

"I know, I thought you would be, and I forgive you," she said, standing up, "I need to get back to the kitchen, dirty dishes are calling my name," Haley said and left.

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So… It's a start right? Breakfast, cleaning, and lunch, a bit of laundry… you never know what else I could have up my little sleeve.

A u s t y n


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